Metallic car-roof.



H. H. SCHROYER.

METALLIC CAR ROOF. APPLICATION 111.215 JUNE15, 1911 1,128,373. Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

2 SEEBTS-SHEET 1.

H. LSGHROYER. METALLIC CAR ROOF. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1911.

1,128,373. Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY H. SCHROYER, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ACME SUPPLY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

METALLIC CAR-ROOF.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 16, 1915,

Application filed June 15, 1911. Serial No. 633.297.

to the accompanying drawings. and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Ca. roofs have sometimes been construct ed of metallic plates or sheets rigidly secured at the ridge and at the top of the sides on plates by sheets or plates that a re seamed or otherwise rigidly joined along the meeting edges, thus affording a construction, which, with the racking or twisting of the car, constantly taking place when the car is in motion, tend to constantly buckle and twist. the sheets or plates forming the metallic roof,'soon loosening the same and frequcntly causing the same to break along the lines of most frequent stress, thus causing leaks. Frequently the roof of the car is first covered with boards,.and then sheathed with any suitable sheet metal, as, for instance,galvanized iron or tin and in such roofs, the constant vibration due to the movement of the car soon causes the nails to pull from the Wood, permitting the displacement of the sheet or breaking or tearing of the sheet due to the buckling of the sheetas before described.

The object of this invention is to afford a roof construction in which individual plates or sheets affording the roof covering are engaged in place by means of metallic retaining and deflecting strips which engage over the roof cleats and bear on the edges of the sheet, and serve to lock the same in place without of necessity affording a seam therewith.

It is also an object of the invention to afford a construction in which specially shaped panels of sheet metal are. arranged and secured to cover the roof in a manner to permit the greatest possible amplitude of movement or adjustment during the normal movement of the car, and to obviate entirely any buckling or hearing tendency heretofore always present in such constructions.

It is also an object of the invention to afford an exceedingly cheap, simple and durable roof construction adapted for use either on cars or elsewhere.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a car, the roof of which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 an enlarged detail section on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. a is a slightly modilied construction of a joint afforded between the top and side sheets or covering. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the individual sheet metal roof panels. Fig.7

is an enlarged top plan view of the side,

strip or retaining plate.

As shown in the drawings: A, indicates the roof boards or decking of the top of the car which inclines laterally on each side from the center of the car top and may be constructed of wood or any other suitable material.

A, indicates the-side wall of the car, which extends upwardly to, and is overlapped by the roof boards A, as shown'in Figs. 3 and 4. Said side walls or boards are rigidly secured at their upper ends to a. plate a, on which the lower ends of the top boards also are secured, and rigidly secured around the top of the car and covering the joint afforded between the top boards A, and side boards A, is a cleat or rib A which maybe of any desired thickness and the top of which is beveled downwardly to correspond with'the pitch of the roof.

Secured along the ridge of the roof and covering the joint between the oppositely inclined halves of the top is a cleat or ridge plank B, of any suitable width and secured through the roof boards and into the ridge pole B, as usual or in any suitable manner. Secured at equal distances apart and at right angles with the ridge plank are ribs 5, spaced equal distances apart for the entire length of the car roof, the. distance apart being dependent upon the width of the sheet metal panels C, which are titted between the same. Said panels, as shown in Figs. ,1, 2, 5, and (3, are shaped or pressed to afford at their sides and p inwardly curlefl edge, 0, the margin of which directed slightly downwardly, said edge being raised suiiiciently to afford across per end an upwardly and the upper end and down each side a concave water channel. As shown, the water channel so formed is continuous around the corners afforded by the upper end and sides of the sheet. The width of said metal panels is slightly less than the distance between the separating ribs for the panels, and as shown in Fi 3, the lower end of each panel is foldetf transversely and inwardly, and the margin thereof is then bent outwardly and downwardly for the entire width of the sheet, and engaged along the' cleat A for the entire length of the car is a metallic strip or plate 1), at its upper end flanged upwardly and over the cleat A as shown in Fig. 3, and as shown cut to afford a convex edge or margin, as shown in Fig. 7. adapted to engage in the lower fold at the lower or outer end of the roof panel sheet, as shown in Fig. 3, the margin 0, of said roof panel extending beneath the flange (Z.

A metallic sheet or plateD, of a gage t afford considerable rigidity is bent to afford a central longitudinal flat face to engage on, and fit over the ribs Z), and the downwardly inclined margins 61', thereof extend close to the upper face of the roof panel sheet C, as shown in Fig. 5, and fitted over said plate D, is a covering sheet (Z which is shaped to fit on said plate D, and the edges of which are rolled under the margins of said plate and bear lightly upon the upper face of the metallic roof panel just beyond the downwardly curved margin 0, thereof. EX- tending longitudinally the ridge plank B, and fitted thereto as before described with reference. to the reinforcing plate D, on the ribs is a. similar metallic plate E, over which is fitted a sheet or plate of metal e, similar to the covering strip (1 before described and the edges of which are turned under the edges of the reinforcing strip E, as shown in Fig. and bear slightly on the upper faces of the metallic roof panel. Said covering strip 0, also covers the upper ends of the covering strips (P, for the ribs, as shown in Fig. 1.

The convexly curved inner edge (Z, of the side plates or strips D. are afforded a short central bearing in the fold a, at the lower edge of the metallic roof panel andsecured against the ridge plank intermediate between the ribs is a cleat c against which the upper end of the metallic roof panel bears at its center. The sides of the roof panels, as shown in Fig. 1, are wholly out of contact both with the ridge plank and the lateral ribs 7), and said metallic roof panels are held in place solely by means of the engagen'ient at the lower end of the sheet with the inwardly turned edge d, of the side plate or strip, and also by the bearing on the inner face of said sheets of the infolded edges of the *overing strips d and e.

The outer sides or edges of each of the sheets C. affording the end roof nel may be folded o1: seamed, as shown 1.. Fig. 3, with reference to the lower end of the roof panel C. or if preferred, may be otherwise engaged in place. If preferred, a single bend or fold 0-", may be afforded at the lower edge of each roof panel and the side strips may be folded inwardly cl and then outwardly as a; Z. as shown in Fig. 4, affording a recess between the folds to re ceive the inwardly directed edge 0 of the roof sheet or panel. In this construction, of course. either edge of the roof sheet or the outer folded edge of the side strip may be convexly curved. in either case affording a short bearing on the con'iplemental sheet or lHCl'llbQl'.

The operation is as follows: The metallic covering of the roof is very quickly secured in place. inasmuch as the metallic roof pancls are simply distributed in place between lu- !'ll). 1). the side strips D. are next secured in place. and the upper flanged edge thereof hooked into the fold or flange in the lower margin of the roof panel, thus holding the roof panel from sliding outwardly. 'lhc rib plates D. are next secured in place on the ribs with the inturned edges of the covering strip (Z thereon bending inwardly suiliciently to afford a slight bearing on the upper face of the roof panel. The plate E, and covering strip 0. are next secured in place with the downturned edges or flanges thereof extending sufficiently low for the rounded edge of the covering strip 6. to bear on the end of said sheet metal roof panel, as shown in Fig. The engagement of said plates covering the strips together with the side strip and flange 2, serve to positively secure each of said sheet metal roof panels in place while permitting considerable amplitude of inovmncnt under the motion of the train. This will be evident from the fact that the sheet rests flat upon the roof boards and has no confining or riveting bearing on either the ridge plank or ribs except upon the chuck or block a, secured to the ridge plank and against which the head of the roof panel bears centrally. This, together with the hearing afforded by the rounded inturncd edge (I, of the side strip, insures the greatest of freedom of adjustment and inovei'nent of the roof panel to conform to the twisting and straining or vibration, and obviously from the construction described, sullicient stress can never be applied to any of the metallic portions of the roof under the normal operation of the car to break. damage or otherwise injure the same. \Vatcr can never penetrate the roof even during high winds inasmuch as the rain or snow falling on the roof and into one of said panels is quickly drained therefrom by thc'pitch of the roof and if any portion thereof (by the action of the wind or otherwise) should be driven upwardly against the edge of the covering strip either for the ribs or for the ridge plank, the covering Should any water under any circumstances find its way past the downturned edge of the covering strips, such amount will be stopped in the concave and upwardly turned and rolled edge of the sheet, which serves to direct the flow laterally to the side channels in said sheet, thus permitting the water to drain from the roof.

Obviously, repairs can be effected with the greatest facility when necessary and at any time any section of the roof may be removed and replaced by a new section by simply raising the plates D and E, and the corresponding cover strips therewith to permit the defective panel to be slid out from beneath the same.

Of course, I am well aware that details of construction may be varied and that a roof embodying my invention may be used for numerous purposes other than 'car roofs. I therefore do not purpose limiting this strips serve to deflect the same application for patent otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

In a device of the class described retaining members secured to the ridge and cross members comprising a relatively stifi metal strip, the central portion thereof substantially fiat, the opposite edges thereof bent in two different planes, a thinner stri bent closel around said stiff strip and eaded comp etely over the edges of the same affording a smooth contact surface, and a plurality of pans, the flanged edges thereof engaged beneath said bent plane ed es of the metal strip and said contact sur ace bearing down on the bottom of the pans to hold them in the plane of the car roof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY H. SCHROYER. 

